I would set you free if I could.
Would you? I would not part from you.
That is not what I meant. I meant I would have for you a life of your own.
He yawned, then stretched. I will have for us a life of our own. We shall win it together. So. Do we travel by night or by day?
We travel by day.
He sensed what I meant. You will stay with this huge pack to travel? Why not break free of it and run with me? We shall go faster.
I shook my head. It is not that simple. To travel where we must, I will need shelter, and I have none that is mine alone. I need the aid of this pack to survive in this weather.
There followed a difficult half hour, as I tried to explain to him that I would need the support of the others in the caravan to reach the Mountains. Had I had a horse and provisions of my own, I would not have hesitated to trust to luck and strike out with the wolf. But on foot with only what I could carry myself, facing the deep snows and deeper cold of the Mountains, not to mention a river crossing? I would not be that great a fool.
We could hunt, Nighteyes insisted. We would curl together in the snow at night. He could take care of me as he always had. With persistence, I was able to convince him that I must continue to travel as I did. Then I shall have to continue to sneak along like a stray dog, following all these folk?
“Tom? Tom, are you out there?” There was irritated annoyance and worry in Nik’s voice.
“Right here!” I stepped out of the bushes.
“What were you doing?” he demanded suspiciously.
“Pissing,” I told him. I made a sudden decision. “And my dog has followed me from town and caught up with us here. I left him with friends, but he must have chewed his rope. Here, boy, come to heel.”
I’ll chew your heel off for you, Nighteyes offered savagely, but he came, following me out into the cleared yard.
“Damn big dog,” Nik observed. He leaned forward. “Looks more than half a wolf to me.”
“Some in Farrow have told me that. It’s a Buck breed. We use them for herding sheep.”
You will pay for this. I promise you.
In answer I leaned down to pat his shoulder and then scratch his ears. Wag your tail, Nighteyes. “He’s a loyal old dog. I should have known he wouldn’t be left behind.”
The things I endure for you. He wagged his tail. Once.
“I see. Well. You’d best get yourself inside and get some sleep. And next time, don’t go off by yourself. For anything. At least, not without letting me know first. When my men are on watch, they get jumpy. They might cut your throat before they knew you.”
“I understand.”
I walked right past two of them.
“Nik, you don’t mind, do you? The dog, I mean.” I tried to act affably abashed. “He can stay outside. He’s a real good watchdog, actually.”
“Just don’t expect me to feed him for you,” Nik growled. “And don’t let him be any trouble to us.”
“Oh, I’m sure he won’t. Will you, boy?”
Starling chose that moment to come to the door. “Nik? Tom?”
“We’re right here. You were right, he was just pissing,” Nik said quietly. He took Starling’s arm and began to guide her back into the shed.
“What’s that?” she demanded, sounding almost alarmed.
I suddenly had to wager everything on her quick wits and our friendship. “Just the dog,” I said quickly. “Nighteyes must have chewed his rope. I warned Creece to watch him when I left him there, that he’d want to follow me. But Creece didn’t listen, and here he is. I guess I’ll have to take him to the Mountains with us after all.”
Starling was staring at the wolf. Her eyes were as wide and black as the night sky above us. Nik tugged at her arm and she finally turned back to the door. “I suppose so,” she said faintly.
I silently thanked Eda and any other god that might be listening. To Nighteyes I said, “Stay and guard, there’s a good fellow.”
Enjoy it while you can, little brother. He flung himself down by the cart. I doubted that he’d stay there for more than a few heartbeats. I followed Starling and Nik inside. Nik shut the door firmly behind us and dropped the bolt in place. I pulled off my boots and shook out my snow-laden cloak before I wrapped myself in my blankets. Sleep was suddenly very close as I grasped the full relief I felt. Nighteyes was back. I felt whole. Safe, with the wolf at the door.
Nighteyes. I’m glad you’re here.
You’ve an odd way of showing it, he replied, but I could sense he was more amused than upset.
Black Rolf sent me a message. Regal seeks to turn those of Old Blood against us. He offers them gold to hunt us down for him. We should not speak overly much.
Gold. What is gold to us, or those like us? Do not fear, little brother. I am here to take care of you again.
I closed my eyes and sank into sleep, hoping he was right. For an instant, as I teetered on the edge of wakefulness, I noticed that Starling had not spread her blankets by mine. She sat on her blankets on the other side of the room. By Nik. Heads together, they spoke softly about something. She laughed. I could not hear the words she next said, but the tone was a teasing challenge.
I almost felt a pang of jealousy. I rebuked myself for it. She was a companion, no more. What was it to me how she spent her nights? Last night she had slept against my back. This night she would not. I decided it was the wolf. She couldn’t accept it. She was not the first. Knowing I was Witted was not the same thing as confronting my bond-animal. Well. That was how that was.
I slept.
Sometime in the night I felt a gentle groping. It was the barest brushing of the Skill across my senses. I came alert, but still, waiting. I felt nothing. Had I imagined it, dreamed it? A more chilling thought came to me. Perhaps it was Verity, too weakened to do more than reach for me. Perhaps it was Will. I lay still, longing to reach out, and fearing to. I wanted so badly to know that Verity was all right; since he had blasted Regal’s coterie that night, I had felt nothing of him. Come to me, he had said. What if that had been his dying wish? What if all my seeking would yield me were bones? I pushed the fear away and tried to be open.
The mind I felt brush mine was Regal’s.
I had never Skilled to Regal, had only suspected he was able to Skill. Even now, I doubted what I sensed. The strength of the Skill seemed Will’s, but the feel of the thoughts was Regal’s. And you have not found the woman either? The Skilling was not meant for me. He reached for someone else. I grew bolder, venturing closer. I tried to be open to his thoughts without reaching for them.
Not as of yet, my king. Burl. Hiding his trembling behind formality and courtesy. I knew Regal could sense it as clearly as I could. I even knew that he enjoyed it. Regal had never been able to grasp the difference between fear and respect. He had no belief in a man’s respect for him unless it was tainted with fear. I had not thought he would extend that to his own coterie. I wondered what the threat was that he held over them.
And nothing of the Bastard? Regal demanded. There was no mistaking it now. Regal Skilled, using Will’s strength. Did that mean he could not Skill by himself?